Tiger's Cries
by Black Raider
Summary: When Tigress had no control of her strength at the Bau Gu Orphanage, Shifu offered to help. Did you think she’d just go along with it? Rated T for violence and blood.


Tiger's Cries

Little Tigress sat in the corner of her destroyed room, isolated and angry at herself and the world. She was hardly aware of her bedroom door opening, but her ears perked up at someone's voice.

"Tigress." It said.

Tigress turned and saw an old red panda in the doorway, his form looking ghostly against the bright sunlight that poured in.

"I am Shifu." The red panda said. "I am-"

"Afraid?" Tigress seethed. She wouldn't be surprised if he was; everyone was afraid of Tigress the Monster. Shifu stepped into the room, and Tigress got a better look at him. He must've been quite old, seeing as his whiskers were pure white and they were very long. He even had a white beard. The red stripes on his ears and tail and the red mask across his face were faded. His robes were brown with gold cuffs on the sleeves.

"No." was his response to Tigress' question.

"Well you should be!" Tigress yelled. "I am Tigress! Tigress the Monster!" Tigress' face softened from rage to sadness. She turned away. "A monster no one wants."

"You are not a monster." Shifu said, tucking his arms into his large sleeves. "You're just a little girl." Tigress gasped softly, realizing this man wasn't afraid at all like all the other adults and children. Shifu pulled some wooden dominoes out of his sleeve. Smiling slightly, Shifu cast them out on the floor, making a perfect half-circle with all the dominoes standing up. The dominoes were wooden with one side painted gold. Shifu picked up a domino and held it out to Tigress.

"Let us play?" he offered. Tigress looked at Shifu and grabbed the domino. The little piece of wood snapped in half and one of the two pieces shot into the air and ricocheted off the wall straight to Shifu's face. Shifu caught it quickly. He showed Tigress the broken domino. "You must learn to control your strength."

Tigress got angry. "You think I haven't tried?" she challenged. "Open your eyes and look around you! What do you see?" Shifu looked around at the broken dolls, torn book pages, and the broken bench and pieces of wood. The only thing not destroyed was the bed. He looked back at Tigress.

"I see a room that hasn't been well kept." He said. Tigress got angrier.

"I see what remains of my tries to control my strength." She hissed. "I've tried everything I can think of! I even tried things that others told me to try! Nothing can help me!" Tigress looked at Shifu squarely in the eyes. "What makes you think you can help me?" Shifu flicked Tigress' nose. Tigress jumped back, hissing.

"First off, you will not speak to me in that tone." Shifu said. "Second, I never knew you were too much of a coward to try something new." Tigress snarled and lunged, aiming her claws for Shifu's face. Shifu grabbed her paw and twisted it over his head, sending Tigress landing on all fours across the room.

"You think I'm a coward?!" she demanded.

"No." Shifu said. "I just wanted to see if anger is what's making you lose control. You see, I have about the same amount of strength you do, but I can control it. If you are willing to learn, I can teach you."

"I don't want your teachings old man!" Tigress snarled. She leaped towards Shifu again, only to be caught and tossed to her bed.

"I'll give you time to think." Shifu said. He sat down in a corner on the opposite side of the room and meditated. Tigress scoffed. She went back to sulking, thinking Shifu would leave sooner or later.

But as the day dragged on, Shifu stayed there in that corner. He had meditated for a while before opening his eyes and just watching Tigress. When night rolled around, the owner of Bau Gu came by and asked if Shifu would stay the night and that she had a bed for him.

"Thank you, but that will not be necessary." Shifu said. "I'll stay in here."

"Are you quite sure?" the old ram stared fearfully at Tigress.

"I'm positive." Shifu said. "get some sleep." The ram bowed and left.

"See?" Tigress said. "Everyone hates me." Shifu didn't answer, he just moved from his corner a little bit and started setting up dominoes. Tigress was a little amazed by how many dominoes he had. She watch, fascinated, as Shifu set the dominoes up so perfectly that he made a Yin-Yang symbol out of it. He left one of the hole in the symbol bare, sat down, and meditated once more. Tigress stared at the golden and brown tiles, longing to study them more carefully. She ventured close, staying as quiet as a hunting cat. She used her claws to grab a domino lightly and drag it over to her. She was surprised that she didn't break it. Tigress placed the domino in her paw, careful not to close her fist. The golden side of the domino was shining in the moonlight. Tigress was mystified.

Shifu had seen her grab the domino. He smiled at her fascination and carefully stood, stepping over the dominos the walk to Tigress. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Tigress got spooked. She didn't realize that the hand on her shoulder was small and gentle. She thought someone was going to hurt her. So Tigress did what her instincts told her.

Tigress swung her claws around and struck Shifu. Shifu held up his arm, and Tigress scratched him. Then Tigress punched Shifu hard across the face, sending him flying backwards, smashing into his dominoes and making them fall over, and then slamming into the door, slumping to the ground. When Tigress realized who she had hit, she was mortified. She dropped the domino and rushed to Shifu, slipping briefly on the fallen dominoes. She rolled Shifu onto his back and was scared to see blood on his body and on the floor.

The blood was coming from three nasty scratch marks on Shifu's left arm.

Tigress felt sick. She didn't like Shifu that much, but she never wanted to hurt him. Tigress picked Shifu up with ease because of her strength and set him down on her bed. Then she tore off some of her sheets and dabbed away the blood. When the wounds stopped bleeding, Tigress slept at the foot of her bed, keeping an eye on the red panda she had harmed.

*****

The next morning, Tigress woke up to a scream. She bolted upright and saw the owner of Bau Gu standing next to her and realized she had seen the claw marks. The old ram moved forward to grab the red panda, but Tigress moved between them and hissed. The ram ran out of the room, locking the door behind her. Tigress sighed and shook Shifu a little.

"Please wake up." She said. "I want to apologize." Shifu opened his eyes a little and groaned. Tigress jumped away and backed into her corner as Shifu got up. He rubbed his head and delicately touched the scratches on his arm, which were bleeding again, obviously the reason why the old ram screamed. Then he turned and walked to Tigress.

"Please don't hurt me!" Tigress cried. "I'm sorry! I didn't-" But instead of hurting her, Shifu just checked her over.

"I won't hurt you." Shifu said. "I'm making sure the owner didn't harm you."

"What?" Tigress asked. Before Shifu could answer, Tigress' door swung open, and in the doorway were Grand Master Oogway and the owner of Bau Gu, looking furious.

"Master." Shifu said, standing and bowing to Oogway.

"Shifu, we need to speak to you." Oogway said. Shifu nodded.

"I'll be back." He whispered to Tigress before leaving. Tigress ran to the closed door and looked thru the hole. She stopped some orphans.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"You almost killed Master Shifu." A rabbit kid said.

"Yeah, and the punishment for attempted murder is punishable by death." A pig child said.

Tigress stepped backwards until she was in her corner. Then, she curled up into a ball and cried.

****

"Absolutely not!" Shifu exclaimed.

"Master Shifu, listen to me." The old ram said. "That child is a danger to all the children and everyone around her! I had thought she'd be here until she was eighteen because that's when she would be sent off into the world. But now, I believe that she must be put to death!"

"No." Shifu said sternly. He placed a hand on his bandaged arm. "One little scratch is no reason-"

"One little scratch?!" the old ram nearly screamed. "She almost killed you! And attempted murder is-"

"She didn't try and murder me!" Shifu yelled. He stood and advanced to the ram, but Oogway held him back.

"Calm down, both of you." Oogway said. "I believe that, if young Tigress was to be put to death, then we ourselves would be the murderers. I say that she should live, and Shifu is to continue to help her control her strength. And, if she fails, kills Shifu, or refuses to train, I will take her to the palace and take care of her." Shifu stared at his master with horror, but the old ram seemed satisfied. Master Oogway and Shifu walked off to Tigress' room.

"You wouldn't kill her." Shifu said.

"I know." Oogway said.

"Then why did you-"

"I said I'd take care of her." Oogway smiled. "Not kill her." Shifu smiled and they walked into Tigress' room. Tigress stared at them with tear-filled eyes.

"I'm sorry!" she cried. "I didn't mean to hurt him. I was just….."

"Tigress, calm yourself." Oogway said. "You will not be put to death." Tigress stared at him. "Shifu will stay here and train you to control your strength. If you fail to learn, refuse to learn, or kill Shifu, I will take you to the palace and take care of you."

"You'd kill me?" Tigress asked.

"No." Shifu said. "We'll take care of you." Tigress smiled. At least she'd have a home if she failed.

"But only if you are willing to train." Oogway said. "Shifu is your teacher, and you must obey him."

Tigress stared into Shifu's bright blue eyes. She bowed. "Yes sir."

A/N: How do ya like that? Read and Review!


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